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The head of the neonatal intensive care unit at the Jersey City Medical Center says parents of children who played in the now-closed Mary Benson Park should have them tested for lead exposure. John Noel reports. (Published Tuesday, June 26, 2012)

The head of the neonatal intensive care unit at the Jersey City Medical Center says parents of children who played in the now-closed Mary Benson Park should have them tested for lead exposure.

The playground, in Jersey City, was closed Friday due to high readings of lead in the soil, officials said.

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In one of the tests, the soil tested 410 milligrams per kilogram and in another, the soil tested 563 milligrams per kilogram, city officials. Those numbers are above the level considered safe, which is 400 milligrams per kilogram.

The elevated levels of lead were discovered by Jersey City's public works and architecture departments while they were preparing to install new playground equipment.

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The city is investigating the cause of the high lead levels as it begins the cleanup process.

City officials said they will work with the Department of Environmental Protection to make the park safe enough for public use, though they do not know when it will reopen.

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